Test Drive: Super-quick Jeep will make you feel young again

The $50,000 2010 Jeeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 sports a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 that puts out 420 horsepower, which Jeep says allows it to go from zero to 60 in less than 5 seconds.

The $50,000 2010 Jeeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 sports a 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 that puts out 420 horsepower, which Jeep says allows it to go from zero to 60 in less than 5 seconds. (JEEP)

Steven Cole Smith, ORLANDO SENTINEL AUTOMOTIVE EDITOR

On paper, few vehicles make less sense than the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8: Huge, thirsty engine; not that much room inside; and though it's four-wheel-drive, it's too low-slung for off-roading. While the big chrome-plated dual exhausts look great, they stick out right under the license plate, effectively eliminating a full-sized trailer hitch.

A 420-horsepower, $50,000 SUV that has no third-row seat, and gets 12 miles per gallon in the city of premium gas? Then what can it do? In my case, make me feel about 30 years younger.

These past few years, Chrysler has really pulled in its horns — that is not a pun based on the Ram brand, but it could be — and the attitude there seems meek, almost apologetic, as the company tries to regain its financial footing. Chrysler's performance division, SRT — Street and Racing Technology — seems to have an uncertain future, as it is unclear if the new executive staff really understands what it does.

And what it does is take mainstream Chrysler products, such as the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Caliber and Ram truck, and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and modify them to be high-performance niche vehicles. That a handful of SRT products still exist is, for genuine enthusiasts, good news, but there's a get-them-while-you-can atmosphere. Indeed, Chrysler has a new Grand Cherokee en route for 2011, and — initially, at least — there will be no SRT version.

So get this one while you can. The Grand Cherokee SRT8 is one of those vehicles that, for the next decade or so, will be on my used-model radar, in case prices drop to the point where I can afford one. It would not be a purchase I can justify to my accountant.

In any form, this current-generation Grand Cherokee is among the most handsome SUVs, and after SRT adds massive 20-inch Goodyear radials on forged aluminum wheels and some body modifications, the SRT8 has an understated but undeniable means-business appearance. Inside, the leather-trimmed upholstery is nicely done. There's a Boston Acoustics sound system that includes a 276-watt Kicker amplifier, and a 30-gigabyte hard drive that can hold 4,250 songs.

On the road, the suspension is stiffer than standard, but the Bilstien shock absorbers do a remarkable job of making the highway ride smoother than you'd expect. Handling is superb, but the antique live rear axle doesn't much like to handle big bumps and tight corners at the same time. Steering is precise but doesn't quite let you forget this SUV weighs nearly 5,000 pounds. Braking, with the big Brembo discs and calipers, is excellent. As you'd expect at the price, the SRT8 has most every safety feature available.

The big 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 is thirsty, but it feels like every one of its 420 horsepower is a thoroughbred. The only transmission offered is a beefy five-speed automatic, and while one more gear would be nice, five are enough.

Jeep says the Grand Cherokee SRT8 is quicker that a Porsche Cayenne Turbo and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds. Impressive. But that such a quick vehicle seems entirely happy making low-speed grocery runs is what puts it on my "future" list. Even if Chrysler's SRT doesn't have such a clear future itself.